Benjamin Mcgee Email & Phone Number

Washington, Dc, Us

Houston, Texas, Us

Currently providing interdisciplinary physics (ionizing radiation and acoustics) and human factors support to the Axiom’s Specialty Engineering department, supporting the Private Astronaut Mission (PAM) program as well as the development of Axiom Station elements, including the AxH1 module. Radiological engineering/health physics responsibilities include: Serving as the Responsible Engineer for AxH1 radiation requirements and administrative and engineered controls; performing radiation shielding modeling and design; space weather modeling and monitoring; radiation dosimetry algorithm development and reporting/record-keeping; the creation of programmatic documentation and workforce training materials; the design of radiation monitoring instrumentation and procedures; the creation of Solar Particle Event storm-sheltering strategies and protocols; flight detector telemetry and real-time data processing; gamma-density analysis of made-in-space spacecraft shielding components. Generalized physics and human factors responsibilities include: Acoustics modeling of the spacecraft environment for supporting crew habitability and other human factors analyses and Subject Matter Expert support, such as restraints and mobility aids, urine separator design, vibration effects on crew labels and user interfaces, etc.

North Las Vegas, Nv, Us

Notable Achievements: +Lead Planner and Team Captain for multiagency (DOE NEST, FBI, US Secret Service, US National Guard) counterterrorism radiation threat detection and assessment operations in support of the 2021 Presidential Inauguration. +Received commendations from DOE Office of Counterterrorism and Counterproliferation, US Secret Service Technical Security Division, & Federal Bureau of Investigation Washington Field Office.+Principal Investigator (PI) for 2-year study into integrating NASA-funded cosmic radiation detection technology into NEST Aerial Measuring Systems radiation surveys.+Co-PI for feasibility study exploring restarting nuclear thermal rocket propulsion testing at the Nevada National Security Site in support of the DARPA/NASA/Space Force DRACO program.General: Served as a health physicist emergency responder SME at the Remote Sensing Laboratory at Joint Base Andrews under the Aerial Measuring System and Nuclear Search programs; was a unique deployable emergency responder billeted for seven Nuclear Emergency Support Team (NEST) positions across four groups, maintained telemetry for flight or ground-based radiological survey systems and analyzed remote sensing data to provide guidance to law enforcement mission partners or other stakeholders during a nuclear emergency or in support of preventative activities at major public events. Also assisted with geological/nuclear debris discrimination training for nuclear disablement teams and first responders, served as a radiological instrumentation Subject Matter Expert, and served multiple roles (e.g., Monitoring Manager, In-Situ spectroscopy scientist) as an emergency responder on the Consequence Management Advance Command (CMAC) of the Federal Radiological Monitoring and Assessment Center (FRMAC). Also served as OCONUS-deployable Radiation Science Advisor (RSA) for the Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) program under the Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance.

North Las Vegas, Nv, Us

Staff health physicist within the Radiological Engineering Department of the Nevada National Security Site's Radiation Control (RadCon) Program. Specializations included radiological instrumentation, field operations, field spectroscopy, radiation worker instruction, contamination control, geospatial analyses, and environmental (geomorphological) transport of radionuclides. Notable achievements: +Served as one of two specialized “Crater Crawl” instructors on the NNSS, within nuclear hypocenter Contamination Areas, for geological/nuclear debris discrimination training for the US Army 20th CBRNE Command Nuclear Disablement Teams (NDTs), US National Guard Civil Support Teams (CSTs), and personnel from the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), among others.Operated and managed the Radiological Engineering Analytical Laboratory, administered the NNSS Demarcation Maintenance Program, served as a DOE RadWorker II instructor, and served as a radiological instrumentation Subject Matter Expert.

North Las Vegas, Nv, Us

Served the BEAM and B330 programs in multiple roles as radiological engineer (spacecraft shielding analyses), health physicist (Radiation Safety Officer), and lead human factors analyst in the Crew Systems group under the Environmental Control and Life Support Systems Program. Also served as NRC agreement-state RSO for refurbishment, operations, and re-licensing of onsite Cobalt-60 irradiator for use in TID/hardness testing of components and hardware.Responsibilities included: Development of B330 Crew Systems Concept of Operations; Revision of operating procedures for industrial radiography source for M&E hardness testing; Assembly and testing of human waste collection system; Particle transport and practical radiation shielding (attenuation) analyses of spacecraft materials for both BEAM and B330 under different mission and orbit scenarios; Design and testing of radiological instrumentation to support both ground and flight-like assessments; Design and testing of ground and flight crew stowage management strategy development; Design of galley water dispensing system; Design of microgravity softgoods 'wash' system; others.

North Las Vegas, Nv, Us

Notable achievements:+FY2013 Performance Nomination Awardee for exceeding expectations in support of TRACER Live Radiation Training Drills.+FY2012 DOE Office of Environmental Management and Sustainability "Honorable Mention" Certificate Awardee, Decontamination and Decommissioning of the Pluto Disassembly Facility.Responsibilities included:+ Operating, maintaining, and calibrating both alpha and gamma spectroscopy instrumentation in laboratory and field environments, as well as performing data analysis on collected spectra to support materials disposition determinations.+ Managing the Nevada National Security Site environmental Demarcation Maintenance Program, including GIS analysis and reporting, radionuclide migration geomorphology, radiological survey creation and statistical modeling, and instrumentation testing and deployment.+ Serving as certified DOE Radiological Worker II instructor+ Providing specialized nuclear forensics training to critical response personnel, e.g., from Los Alamos National Laboratories, U.S. National Guard Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Teams (WMD-CSTs).+ Acting as project lead and field analyst for projects with the NNSA Remote Sensing Lab at Nellis Air Force Base.+ Performing data triage on spectra from offsite projects.+ Conducting radiological containment/shielding/instrumentation assessments.+ Creating company procedure/radiological survey plans/technical basis documents and databases.+ Ensuring programmatic 10 CFR 835 federal regulation compliance and implementation.

Nv, Us

Part-time instructor in the CSN Physical Science Department, teaching Geology 101 laboratory sections at both the Charleston and Cheyenne Campuses.

Responsibilities included providing and vetting astronomical, geological, meteorological, and physics content, while serving as an onscreen host and physical science subject matter expert (SME) for several segments of a Travel Channel television project exploring unusual and little-known locations and mysteries across the United States. Appeared in 6 episodes that have aired to-date.America Declassified (http://www.travelchannel.com/tv-shows/america-declassified)"There are places in America shrouded in secrecy -- unmarked buildings and massive bunkers. ... In each episode, investigators go on location and take a fresh look at stories and events with new evidence, unprecedented access and never-before-heard-from witnesses ... [to find out] what may (or may not) be going on behind the barbed wire and blacked-out windows. ...The series examines sites and events using scientific methods, forensics and state-of-the-art surveillance technology to pry the lid off these explosive stories.”An example outreach blog and video clips can be found below:

Elko, Nv, Us

Served as a substitute professor for Geology 101 courses taught at the Great Basin College Pahrump satellite campus. -Emphasis on glaciology, planetary geomorphology, atomic mineralogy.

Las Vegas, Nv, Us

Serves as the research and business development lead for Astrowright, a spaceflight support services consulting firm. Projects include development of the HIDH-compliant Superior Astronaut Integration and Flight Ergonomics (SAIFE) spacecraft certification scheme, the development of a low-point-of-stability microgravity fitness training program, the development of novel microspray propulsion systems for micro-sats and LEO station-keeping, and the performance of an evaluation of commercial-off-the-shelf radiation dosimetry for the space radiation environment.

Washington, District Of Columbia, Us

Assist with response readiness and provide field logistical support for the National Disaster Medical System Nevada-1 (NV-1) Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT).

Responsibilities included providing astronomical, geological, meteorological, and physics context and content for a Weather Channel television project exploring the effects on human civilization of low-probability, high-impact natural disasters. Appeared in six of six episodes produced to date.Forecasting the End (http://www.weather.com/tv/tvshows/forecasting-the-end/main)"...In “Forecasting the End,” some of the world's leading scientists, along with elaborate computer graphics, illustrate the different "what if?" scenarios for how large-scale geological and astronomical natural disasters - and the catastrophic weather that follows them - could transform our lives forever."Example clips may be found below.

Responsibilities included providing astronomical, geological, meteorological, and physics context, content, and to act as a lead physical science researcher for a National Geographic television project investigating alleged unexplained sightings across the U.S. and abroad.Chasing UFOs (www.natgeotv.com/chasingufos)"A team of investigators sets out to uncover the truth about UFOs. Traveling to remote locations in search of physical evidence, the Chasing UFOs team ventures into the wild to substantiate or refute claims of extraterrestrial crashes, landings, and close encounters. Join skeptical geoscientist Ben McGee, the "believer" documentarian James Fox and globetrotting monster-chaser Erin Ryder for a wry and adventuresome look into some of modern culture's most popular lore."Responsibilities also included authoring a blog series on the NatGeoTV website covering the "science behind" the show. (http://tvblogs.nationalgeographic.com/author/benmcgee/) One example blog may be found below.

Chantilly, Virginia, Us

+ Served as a senior hydrogeologist on the Southern Nevada Water Authority's East-Central Nevada Groundwater Development Project. + Developed, installed, and managed a precipitation monitoring network covering ~1,400 square miles.+ Developed a project precipitation database and implemented QA/QC procedures. + Installed and operated multiple continuous stream gaging stations. + Operated and maintained data logger systems (Campbell Scientific, Design Analysis).+ Performed regular stream gaging and well monitoring.+ Performed hydrologic data reduction, analysis, and reporting.+ Performed remote sensing analysis of watersheds, (e.g., used infrared Landsat imagery information with topographic profiles to generate historical storage estimates of an ephemeral lake in Spring Valley, NV).+ Prepared deliverable monitoring and data status reports.+ Reported findings at scientific and industry conferences.

Petaluma, Ca, Us

Performed field installation and troubleshooting of air quality sampling and monitoring equipment in the Las Vegas area, prepared samples for analysis and shipment, and monitored data output.

North Las Vegas, Nv, Us

+ Served as a technical lead in the Environmental Restoration Program at the National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Site Office (NNSA/NSO) Nevada Test Site on multiple Industrial Sites and D&D locations. + Performed hazardous, low-level, and mixed-waste contaminant characterization and sampling.+ Performed laboratory and in-situ non-destructive-assay gamma spectroscopy, and maintained Canberra ISOCS system.+ Generated and reviewed NEPA and real-estate operations permits for content and compliance.+ Acted as 29 CFR 1910.120 field site supervisor at various remediation sites.+ Maintained RF telemetry and GOES systems at remote monitoring locations.+ Operated and maintained meteorological and geophysical equipment.+ Generated, edited, and reviewed deliverable reports (e.g., closure/post-closure).

Edmonton, Alberta, Ca

Performed groundwater sampling and aquifer analysis to track underground storage tank contaminant plumes in the Las Vegas valley, created subsurface groundwater contour maps, and produced deliverable quarterly remediation reports.

Laramie, Wy, Us

+ (2003-2004) Supported Dr. Joel Harper on the 5-week Bench Glacier Project 2003 Alaskan field expedition, which included operating a pressurized hot-water drill and obtaining and analyzing borehole video of more than 7 interior miles of a temperate valley glacier. Combined analytical results with other studies to generate a revised model of englacial hydrodynamics, and presented findings at scientific conferences. + (2004-2005) Supported Dr. Ed Kempema in studying anchor ice formation and sediment transport processes in rocky mountain streams, including building a closed-circuit flume to test anchor ice formation under laboratory conditions and obtaining in-situ measurements and video of anchor ice in the Laramie and Poudre Rivers. Presented research at scientific conferences.

Served as a founding member of and collaborative songwriter for the Maxwell Quintet (formerly the Maxwell Quartet) of Laramie, Wyoming. + Winner, Wyoming Battle of the Bands, 2003-2004. + Invited performer, 2004 Akademicka Nitra Ethnomusicology Music Festival, Nitra, Slovakia.

Laramie, Wy, Us

Covered the student government and scientific faculty research and news beats for the University of Wyoming Student Newspaper, the Branding Iron. Awards include Best Cover Story, 2001.

Master Of Arts - Ma, Archaeology

Master Of Science, Space Studies

Radiation Health Physics

Bachelor Of Science, Geology, Planetary Science

Hs Diploma, Music Major